Legislative Subcommittee Approves Sports Betting on Smart Phones in Arkansas
On Thursday the Arkansas Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee Administrative Rule Subcommittee approved a state rule change that would permit sports betting online via mobile devices.
The proposal now goes to the full Joint Budget Committee for final consideration next week.
Lawmakers on the committee will be able to vote to approve or reject mobile sports betting in Arkansas.
If approved, gamblers would be able to bet on sporting events online via a computer, smart phone, or other mobile device from anywhere in Arkansas.
When voters passed Amendment 100 in 2018, they authorized casino gambling at certain locations in Arkansas — not from anywhere in the state over the Internet.
This rule change would permit mobile sports betting anywhere in Arkansas.
That isn’t what voters had in mind when they approved the casino amendment a little over three years ago.
It’s impossible to monitor Internet gambling to be sure state and federal laws are enforced.
No matter how many safeguards and security features are in place, there’s no way to guarantee that children won’t gamble via these smart phone apps.
People who gamble online face a serious risk of developing a gambling addiction, and some research indicates that people who engage in sports betting are twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.
Arkansas already has enough problems from gambling. These new rules would only make those problems worse.
Bottom line: Online sports betting is a bad bet for Arkansas.
